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On Matters Related to Online Groups via @Peta_de_Aztlan

https://helpmatrix.wordpress.com/2013/02/08/on-matters-related-to-online-groups-via-peta_de_aztlan/
February 8, 2013
++++++++ I have been hip to online groups, such as Yahoo Groups and other forums, for a long time. They can be a great way for people to share common interests and can help raise our collective consciousness on a global level, especially for those of us who focus on humane rights and other positive progressive agendas. Internet power is a great tool to help us all create raise and expand consciousness.

As a rule with exceptions, there are positives and negatives to most matters. Sometimes posts via Emails to Yahoo Groups can be totally off topic, individualistic and not be even remotely related to a given discussion that is going on or thread being spun. We need to keep stuff on a group level or else why bother being in a group? When necessary we can just post direct Emails to someone on an individual level. Not everyone has to or should share everything with everyone. Not everyone cares about what you had for breakfast or even if you had breakfast! We should not launch personal attacks upon specific group members. Beware of inflated egotism.

There are generally managers for these groups who can monitor those who post stuff to make sure it is in harmony with the group’s general purpose. On occasion we need to remind Group Members of the group’s focus and main topics. If we are not careful these online groups can easily become a Tower of Babel. Some folks just like to see their name out here, hate any valid criticism, do not really care about positive feedback and could be suffering from various mental disorders or spiritual issues they have not resolved in their personal lives. We sometimes have to deal with ill egomaniacs, narcissists and other psycho disorders that people have and display via online groups.

Ideally, we need to balance our lives in terms of being online using social media; being offline in the local community as we engage in creative activities; and being inline developing our spiritual growth, being busy in our own personal lives meeting our day-to-day needs and meeting our personal responsibilities. While we are online we need to be careful not to create another divisive caste in society between those who are blessed with Internet access and those who are not. Not everyone has regular Internet access and many of us do not have fancy iPhones or other Internet-connected devices.

In fact, there is still a great need for local community literacy programs to help people obtain a basic computer literacy. The bulks of the work to be done is on the local community level. Now we have the potential to create, develop and nurture online relatinships on a global level with other peoples that has never existed before.
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In general, in online groups people communicate to the group via Emails. We can post News Articles with related links or just type up what we want to express. I usually take the time to respond to an Email in a calm rational manner, rather than with a knee-jerk emotional reaction. I have been a Monitor for Yahoo Groups for over ten years and frankly it can be a real drag. In these times, I am usually reporting news and sharing articles via Twitter, Google+, Facebook and Blogposts. I try not to waste time in futile arguments with anyone. I am not out to convince or convert anyone else. I am here to learn and share, then let go, not burn myself out.

Remember: we are dealing with egos and personalities when online, including inflated egos. Let us be mindful of the need to just share, state the truth as we see it, engage in constructive dialogue and not ego-trip. We do not have to get the last word, put others down, always be right or be just plain rude to others. In fact, we do not always have to respond to anyone. If we do respond to someone, not react, sometimes just a few choice words will do the trick without typing a long entangled treatise.

Because of my direct personal experiences in life, I have a good awareness of the character defects and shortcomings of myself and others. We need to have the quality of loving compassion when relating to others in all our communications or why even bother to communicate? Both words and actions are important and it is a truism that actions speak louder than words. Words typed on a screen can be easily misunderstood and cannot fully convey the tone, tenor and texture of one’s spirit. We often do not even have the same definitions of words or understandings about the meanings of key words. Sometimes we are not even in the same library, let alone the same page!

We need to agree on the basics of what is being discussed or simply agree to disagree. There is no need to take everything personal and ‘wage struggles’ with each other. We should have a common respect for each other or why even be in a group?! If anyone is out to just be a nuisance and disrupt, then their posts can be monitored or if that negative behavior persists they can be outright banned. This is the Internet with a global reach, not your little soap box.

We naturally support Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression as natural rights. However, in the real world, all our rights come with responsibilities! Sharing is caring!
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